Indiana University students support local clinic’s HR department

Orange County is a rural southern Indiana county comprising four incorporated towns and a number of unincorporated communities. Residents are intent on celebrating the county’s industrial roots, natural beauty, and historic architecture while embracing and preparing for the future. Local progress is driven in large part by “grassroots cooperative leadership” (Report, Pg. 4), while legal and medical non-profits provide essential communal services. This community-oriented mentality lends itself to innovative partnerships between various actors working towards common goals in areas like infrastructure, culture, tourism, and healthcare. 

Management at community clinic sought to review its HR processes

Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center  located in Paoli, Orange County’s seat. A fixture in the Paoli community, SICHC provides residents with vital health services. In the interest of its medical staff, the clinic needed to evaluate its human resources practices. Management was specifically interested in assessing compliance with relevant federal policies like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Moving forward, the HR department reached out to students in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.

Students analyze clinic’s federal compliance, strategize for the future 

Through the Sustaining Hoosier Communities (SHC) program, Southern Indiana Community Health Care collaborated with Professor Laura Littlepage’s non-profit human resource management course. Working closely with community partner Katarina Koch of SICHC, Littlepage’s students were challenged to review human resources policies and practices with a particular focus on FMLA compliance. Following their analysis, they were asked to develop actionable policy updates with future clinic staff growth in mind.

Improving internal processes in the name of better care

Participants delivered insightful recommendations based on a rigorous internal review. The student-developed policy updates will serve the clinic as it inevitably expands its human capital and overall service capacity. Student participants pursuing degrees in medicine, management, and the like were given real-world analytical experience in an organizational setting and introduced to the nuances of state and federal compliance.

Staff members trust Southern Indiana Community Health Care to provide an exceptional employee environment. By evaluating and refining the clinic’s human resources department, this successful project helped to make the clinic an even better place to visit work. 

Sustaining Hoosier Communities Contact Info
Jane Rogan
Sustaining Hoosier Communities Director
jrogan@indiana.edu
(812) 855-0568
https://shc.indiana.edu

Indiana University Faculty Contact Info
Laura Littlepage
llittlep@iu.edu

Read the full story of the partnership.

Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.